Conditions History

“Southeastern Wisconsin's most epic trail.”

Dogs
Leashed

Need to Know

There are free weekly runs year round from Forest Headquarters—phone them for more info.

The Walworth/Jefferson County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance offers outings on Tuesdays at 4 PM (2.8 mi.) and Wednesdays at 10:30 (two choices: 3.5 or 5 miles plus). You'll need to meet at Hwy, 12 IAT trail crossing (2 mi. E. of Whitewater, 1/2 mi. W. of Co. Rd. O) for both. The guided outings cover most of the trails in the Southern Kettle Moraine. Contact: Chapter Coordinator Andy Whitney at 262-949-0286 for more information.

The land manager for Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit can be reached at
S91 W39091 State Hwy. 59
Eagle, WI 53119
(262) 594 6200 (9 AM to 4 PM)

Runner Notes

The trail is also famous for its numerous well-known ultramarathon trail races, such as Ice Age Trail 50, Kettle Moraine 100, and the North Face Endurance Challenge.

Description

The Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit is a refuge in southeastern Wisconsin, a popular getaway destination for people in Madison, Milwaukee, and the Chicago area. It is spread out over a wide area and offers a lot of Wisconsin State Park camping and access for "silent sports."

This segment of the Ice Age Trail comprehensively explores this entire region, giving an excellent glimpse of the many kettles, lakes, and wetlands, along with the numerous moraines, which give this trail a lot of rolling hills to cover. The vegetation is a mixture of thick forests, including thick stands of pines that are stunning, and also wide open prairies. It is an excellent place to hike or run, in sections, or as a whole. This is one of Wisconsin's finest trails.